Oyster-dredging chock.



W. G. TODD. OYSTER DREDGING GHOGK. APPLICATION FILED no.7, 1907.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.-

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WILLIAM G. TODD, OF CHANGE, MARYLAND.

OYSTER-DBEDGING CHOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

Application filed. December 7, 1907. Serial No. 405,469.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM 0. Tom), a citizen of the United States,residing at Chance, in the county of Somerset and State of Maryland,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oyster- DredgingChocks, of which the following is a s ecification.

This invention relates to a roller chock for the dredge rope ofoyster-dredging apparatus.

In the operation of dredging oysters the vessel is under way, or ismoving, and there is great strain on the rope that leads from thewinding drum on the deck of the vessel to the dredge which is draggingon the bottom or oyster bed, which is often in deep water. It is adesideratum to have at the side of the vessel a chock device over whichthe dredge rope will be eased. The devices heretofore used for thispurpose have been unsatisfactory.

The object therefore of the present invention is to provide an improvedinclined roller-chock for the dredge rope, and also to combine a longroller mounted horizontally at the edge of the vessels deck, aroller-chock in inclined position above one end of said long roller, anda block to sup-- port the roller-chock and also overlap t e end of thelong roller.

The invention is illustrated in the drawing herewith in which,-

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section of the deck of marine vessel andshows the dredge hoisting ap aratus and the improved rollerchock and ongroller. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the exterior side of the vesseland shows the parts comprising the present invention. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the interior side of the vessel and looking toward thewater, and shows on a larger scale the position of the parts comprisingthe invention.

The deck of the vessel is designated by the numeral, 1, and the vesselsside by, 2. As the dart, 21, points toward the bow of the vessel, itwill be understood that the downwardly-inclined part of the dredge ropeextends back toward the stern of the vessel. The side-rail, 22, is cutaway and a long roller, 3, is mounted at the edge of the deck in saidcut-away part, and the axis of this roller extends fore and aft of thevessel. The numerals,7, and, 8, designate the winding drums of ahoisting engine. A suitable upright standard or frame, 9, of anyapproved construction is mounted on the deck between the said longroller, 3, and the winding drum, 7. A pulley-block, 18, is sustained onsaid standard at an elevation above both the said winding drum and sideroller, and also in a vertical plane between said winding drum and sideroller. The dredge itself is not shown, but it is attached to a rope, 4,that winds on either of the drums, 7, 0r,8. Two winding drums and tworopes are shown because one rope passes over and down at one side of thevessel, and the other rope passes over the other side and down; thesewinding drums are independent, thus ermittingthe use of one dredge ortwo redges.

The improved roller-chock comprises a grooved roller, 23, which hasposition at the side of the vessel and above said long roller, 3, andalso inclines in two directions with respect to the deck, consideringthe latter for the purpose of permitting this comparison as aving ahorizontal position, to-vvit, it inclines downward or back toward thestern of the vessel, and also inclines downward or sidewise from thedeck toward the water. The roller is permanently secured in thisparticular inclination, which latter serves to receive thedownwardlyinclined part, 20, of the dredge-rope and permits saidrope topass down into the water and also pass back toward the stern of thevessel which it necessarily has to do, as the vessel is always movingforward when the dredge is dragging on the bottom. The long roller, 3,is at the edge of the deck and below the side-rail, 22. A block, 24, issecured to the side of the vessel by bolts, 25, or otherwise andoverlaps one end of the said long roller, 3, and the inclined roller,23, is mounted on this block, and above the long roller, 3, theoperative edge of the inclined grooved roller, 23, is even with or flushwith the vertical edge of the block, 24, that overlaps the long roller.This construction and arrangement allows the downwardlyinclined part,20, of the dredge-rope to be eased on the inclined roller-chock, 23,while the dredge is dragging, as shown in Fig. 2, and then when thedredge is being raised up the side of the vessel, thisdownwardlyinclined part, 20, of the rope will drop out of the groovedroller, 23, and rest on the long roller, 3, as indicated by the brokenlines in Fig. 1. While the rope bears on the long roller, may inovelaterallynor" lengthwise thereof to accommodate. itself to the motion ofthe vessel caused by the wind or the roughness of the water.-

In the present instance the inclined grooved roller, 23, is held by apin, 26, in a metal bar, 27, which is bolted fast on the overlappingblock, 24. The extremity or the end, 28, of the metal bar, 27, which isabove the roller, 23-, projects beyond the operative edge ofv saidroller, and this projecting end serves to prevent the rope from gettingoff the roller while the dredge is dragging.

The particular construction of pin, metal bar, roller and block, as hereshown and described, may be changed and modified solong as the sameoperation and resulting advantages are obtained.

whatI claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

A. roller-chock for oyster-dredging vessels comprising a block securedto the side of the vessel. and at an elevation above the deck, and agrooved roller mounted on said block and inclined in two directions withrespect to the deck-to-wit downward or back toward the stern of thevessel, and also downward or sidewise from the deck toward the water.

In witness whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 7

WILLIAM C. TODD.

Witnesses:

G. FERDINAND VOGCE, CHAS. B. MANN.

WV Having thus described my invention 20

